Spring suspension



Dec. 22:, 1936.

H. K. REINOEHI. ET AL SPRING SUSPENS ION Filed Nov. l4 1955 Patentecl Dec. 22, 1936 UNITED STATES SPRING SUSPENSION Harry K. Reinoehl and Joseph Kuttler, Fort Wayne, Ind. assignors to International Harvester Company, a corporation of New Jersey Applieatidn November 14, 1935, Serial N0. 49,778

4 Claims.

This invention relates I:o a spring suspension for vehicles, and more particularly a spring suspension which may compensate for overload. and excessive deflection.

An object of the invention is to provide a spring suspension comprising a, spring supported at either end by means on the vehicle frame for varying the effective length of the spring.

Another object is to provide means on the vehicle frame for supporting one end of the spring in varied positions and means on the vehicle frame for supporting the other end of the spring and permitting longitudinal movement of the spring while the efiective spring length is being shortened 120 compensate for excessive deflection.

Other objects and advantages Will appear in the followingspecification, claims, and drawing. In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a plan view of a vehicle frame, axle, and spring embodying the inve'ntion;

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the same, showing I:he spring normally flexed; and,

Figure 3 is a similar view showing the spring in a position cf excessive deflection.

In the drawing a vehicle frame of the usual type is indicated at I0, only one sicle or frame member being shown. A portion of an axle 15 shown at II extending transversely across and below the vehicle frame I0. A compound leafspring I2 is secured intermediate its ends to the axle II by the usual securing means I3. The spring I2 is formed at one end With the customary rolled portion I4 and ab the other end with a substantially straight end portion I5 for purposes later t0 appear.

Secured to the vehicle frame I0, in spaced relation to the axle II, is a member in the form 0f a supporting casting I6. This member I6 extends outwardly from the vehicle frame I0 a sufficient distance to o-verlap the Width of the spring I2 and is formed a1: one end and outside the spring I2 with a downward extension I'I. A pin through this downward extension I7 and the inner edge of I:he member I6 adjacent the vehicle frame I0 provides a pivot I8 for one end of a link I9. The other end of the link I9 is pivotally connected. to the spring I2 at its roller portion I4 by the pivot pin 20. The link I9 is forked at the point of connection to the spring I2, and is formed with a cross-abutment I9 substantially above the pivot pin 20. It will now be apparent that the one end I4 of the spring I2 is pivotally carried by the link I9, and the link I9 is in turn pivotally carried by the member I6 on the vehicle frame I0.

Extending across the member I6 directly below the pivot I8 and integral with the downward extension I'I and the inner edge of the member 5 I6 is an abutment II. In spacecl relation to the abutrnent II, and, adapted to coact with the abutment I9 on the link I9 is a second abutment I6 on the member I6, the purpose of which Will appear later. 10

Secured to the vehicle frame I0 and adapted t0 support the other end I5 of the spring I2 are means in the form of a casting 2I said means comprising I;Wo spaced rollers 22 and 23. A downward extension 24, formed integral with I:he casting 2I and outside the spring I2, provides means for confining the (and I5 of the spring I2 to the rollers 22 and 23. A holt 25 through the extension 24 and the inner eclge of the casting 2I adjacentthe vehicle frame I0 further aids in 20 confining the end I5 of the spring I2 to the rollers.

As best shown in Figure 2, while the spring I2 is normally fiexed, the link I9, pivotally counected ab 29 to the roller portion I4 of the spring I2, is in its uppermost position With the abutment I9 abutting the abutment I6 on the member I6. AI; the other end of the spring suspension, the straight portion I5 of the spring I2 is abutting the roller 22, which roller is of a greater distance from the axle II tha n the roller 23. II; Will be apparent from an examination of Figure 2 that the points of suspension are a1: their extreme farthest distances apart, thus afiording the spring a, greater efiective length capable of insuring the spring utmost efiiciency and safety during normal defiections.

Figure 3 shows the spring when it has been defiected past normal oscillation. An upward thrust of the axle I I or excessive downward pressure on the vehicle frame I0 causes an excessive defiection of the spring. However, as the spring moves upwardly past a normal oscillation, the end. I5, pivotally connected by the pin 20 to the link I9, pulls the 1ink downwardly about the pivot I8, thus separating the point of contact between the abutments I9 and I6, and a still greater upward defiection of the spring I2 causes the spring to abut the abutment II, as shown, thus shortening that end of the spring substantially the distance between the pivots I8 and 20, 01' the distance between the spaced abutments I6 and I'I'.

At the opposite end of the spring I2 the straight portion I5 leaves the roller 22 and abuts, 55

axle H at the other end of the spring from 2 2.

By thus moving the points of suspension c1oser together, shortening the eff ective spring length, by the distance between the points"l8randf 20 plus the distance between the rollrs 22 and 23,"

the spring is strengthened materially against shock and breakage.

It is tobe understood that, when the cause for excessive spring defiection is removed, the spring I2 ahd its suspensiori pointswill, feturri t0 th'g positions shown in Figure2.

Onlj "apreferred form f the invention has been describd and m1m'erijus' embodiments Ofthje sam n'iay be employed"without depa.rtingifrom the sco'p e of the fo1lowing ciairns.

What' is clainiedis:

1; In a springrriounting for v ehic1es, thge combination Wit&a"vehicl frarne alridn"axl of a leaf spring mounted on the ax1e, r'fieainsf0rsupportirig' the fr.ame cm 'onia i=zrricl'0f the spri njg irk cluding a, link Pivotally co-nneeted t th fram on a transveme axis aboVe the spring .and between the ends thereat, Said linkeirtendingfrornitS piv0t 011 the irame to'wards t he e'ndof the spring" duri1ig extreme flexing"df th e spring whereby the load carrying capacity of the spring isincrea'ssd the vehic1e frarne 1an abntmenton th rrie1riber, a link pivoted at onp endtd the inerriber" 'and extending in th direc'ztio'ri of th e springbxtnsidn "and pivotally connedtd to dne end"of thg ={spri ng' and thereabove between the spring nd th ab'ut ment, an 21Joutme'nt oii the 1ink substantiailii above the point of connection between the 1ink and spring, an abutment below and adjacent the pivotal connection of the link with the frame whereby the abutment on the link may ahnt the abutment an the member whi1e the spring is normal]; flexed and whereby the spring may ahnt the abutment adjacent the pivotal connection of the;link with the frame whiie-the spring is defiected past normalQoscillation for shortening the efiective length of the spring, and means secured tothe vehicle frame for supporting the other end o f ths spring and permitting longitudinal movent'1eri't threibf.

3.;In a. spring mpynting for vehicles, the combination With a vehicle frame and. axle of a spring'mounted 'onthe axle, a member secured t o the v ehicle fra me, said member comprising an abutrrieht' and a pivot longitudinally spaced apart; aj'link extending in the direction of the springextension and pivota1ly co-nneqtedat one endtgior1'e endof thejspring therezabo've andnstween' the spring an'd'th6 abutment, an abutmant on the 1ink adapted to abutthedabuti'rigrit on the n'1iambr wh ile the spring is normally fiexed,

an abntinent belo w anti .a'dj.cent ths"piivotwhere-" by the spring may abut'seiid' abutmetit adjac ent the pivot while th e spring" is' defiected' past a normal oscillation 'for short ening the Eifective length 'of the spring; and meanssecu1ed to the' the spring sind"permittingjlongitudinal rn ovement thereof." f

4." In a spring mounting for vehicles, ths combination with a vehicle frame and axls' of a' connected at one end to' the pivot, saidlihk e'x tending in the direction of the spring (extensiqn and be ing connected at its otherend one end' O-f the'spring thereabove and between the spring and the abutment a sec0n'd abutment"belovsfand adjacent thepivot Whereby the link"may abut Sa'id first abi1trnent while the spring is nor'mall3'r' fliexed and whereby the spring mayabdt the second abutm'ent while the' spring is deflected end '0f the spring and*p'ermitting longitudinal movementthereof. HARRY K. REINOEHL.

JOSEPI-IKUTI'LER.

9 pas'tnorrnal" oscillation for shortening the 'effe'ctive length of the spring and means secured to the vehicle frame Tor supporting the other' 

